Pregnant And Rejected

Charta 192. -Lockdoen

Selene

I’m woken by the sounds of blaring alarms, the sound so shrill and horrible | slam a pillow over my face before I can stop to consider what the sound might mean. It’s not until my bedroom door swings open and a young servant girl pokes her head in, that I lower the plush implement. She pulls me out of bed and helps me into a robe while my head spins.

An alarm. I think hopefully, that’s bad for Blaise.

And what’s bad for Blaise can only be good for us. Luna answers slyly.

“What’s happened?” I ask the girl helping me.

“We‘re going into lockdown, miss.” the young servant an swers, breaking the silence her station usually demands.

“What do you mean, lockdown?” | question, “What’s hap pened?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never heard the alarms go off before, but the Alpha’s orders were unequivocal. The entire above ground is locking down, so it can’t be a fire or flood.” She rea sons, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

“Did you speak to him yourself?” | ask, trying to figure out exactly what’s going on. If it’s just a lockdown and he doesn’t know where I am, I might be able to get away. But if she was specifically sent to retrieve me, I probably can’t escape with out endangering her.

com “No.” She shakes her head, “This is just standard proce

dure. I’m taking you to one of the safe rooms.”

I cry, pulling her to a

girl

called away to help, and I’m always strongest first

understand.”

before it’s too late.” I declare, “I don’t want to get you in trouble and I don’t know what you might risk by running, but | want to give you the chance to escape with me –

right now, but I guarantee Blaise and his

Clara whimpers, “I have a family

I ask is that you give me a head start.” I beg, tak ing her by the

park, but you can’t go out there!” She insists, “the

of maternity jeans, a black top and flats. “Please, promise me you won’t tell them where l’ ve gone. You never saw me.” | state firmly, forcing a bit of hypnotic power into

of limp, her jaw slackens, and she repeats,

praise, dashing out of the

one of the many secret passageways lining the Pack House for emer gencies, but Blaise hasn’t trusted me enough to tell me about any such precautions in his

aware that my scent is leaving a trail behind me and anyone seeking to find me will be able to follow it with little

I know the southern wing has multiple exits, and I have to assume that most of Blaise’s security force have gone to the guard house beside the front courtyard. I have to pause at every other corner I reach, waiting for neat rows of march ing sentries to pass by before I continue on. Something seri ous

The rising sun blinds me when I fi nally break out into the fresh air, feeling a rush of exhilaration to think I’m finally out of the Alpha’s palace. It almost feels too easy, but I can’t stop

of hesitation as I worry I might be mistaken for one of Blaise’s devoted followers and make my self a target, but I don’t have time to waste. I run towards the park for all I’m worth, feeling my heart

my feet off the ground as I yelp in surprise. Struggling to escape the man holding me, I kick and claw

jerk my head up at the sound of someone clear ing their throat, my eyes going wide as’l see a line of guards circling myself and my captor. There at their center, is Blaise, watching me with the sort of twisted hunger he

my stomach, plummeting so quickly! feel sure I’m going to be sick. No. I think

But clearly he can.